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Now that cuts have been made, the Ravens are eager to go forward with their 53.

Saturday’s cuts are bittersweet.

On one hand, it’s a sad moment because the team says goodbye to 27 players, veterans and rookies alike. On the other hand, it’s a proud moment to come to those 53 players, who, for the most part, will ride through the ups and downs of the entire season.

“You are excited to finalize your roster,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said. “You are excited to say, ‘OK, this is going to be our team. This is how we’re going to move forward.”

So how does Harbaugh feel about his team?

“I expect this to be a very good football team,” he said.

The Ravens officially put the preseason in the rear view mirror after Thursday’s fourth preseason game in Atlanta. They went 3-1 in the preseason, including three straight wins to close it out.

It was an entirely different preseason. Due to the lockout, players came into camp without the advantage of organized team activities or camps, and the rookies in particular had a lot of catching up to do from a learning standpoint.

There was an expanded roster to 90 players, which Harbaugh said he liked because it allowed them to practice better and allows for more opportunity to find a diamond in the rough. But the late start to the league year also meant free agent signees couldn’t get on the field until Aug. 5, less than a month ago.

Harbaugh said during camp that he had to show patience with where his team was at due to the team’s youth movement at a number of positions and the restrictions of the lockout.

But in the end, the head coach was happy with the result.

“I feel like we have gotten as much done as we could. I feel like we are as far along as we could have possibly been,” Harbaugh said.

“The personnel thing was tougher maybe than I would have anticipated. You never know how this is going to play out. … I think our players have done a heck of a job, and I think our coaches have done a heck of a job of working hard, adapting to change.”